Lurker above
t lurker above 
| |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | 12 |
| Attacks | |
| Base level | 10 |
| Base experience | 214 |
| Speed | 3 |
| Base AC | 3 |
| Base MR | 0 |
| Alignment | 0 (neutral) |
| Frequency (by normal means) | 2 (Quite rare) |
| Genocidable | Yes |
| Weight | 800 |
| Nutritional value | 350 |
| Size | Huge |
| Resistances | None |
| Resistances conveyed |
None |
|
A lurker above:
| |
| Reference | monst.c#line800 |
A lurker above, t, is a type of monster that appears in NetHack. It is one of the two eponymous monsters that make up the trapper or lurker above monster class. The lurker above has a slightly weaker digestion attack than the trapper, but is capable of flight and hides itself on the ceiling of the dungeon to take its targets by surprise.
Generation
Lurkers above are always generated hostile.
Strategy
Like trappers, the lurker above can easily be detected via telepathy or warning, and its very low speed of 3 makes them less threatening, especially if you are decently equipped. However, do not let any of your pets near one - digestion attacks will instantly kill pets, so be sure to scout for lurkers beforehand when navigating a floor.
History
The lurker above first appears in Hack for PDP-11, a variant of Jay Fenlason's Hack, and is included in the initial bestiary for Hack 1.0.
Origin
The lurker above originates from Dungeons & Dragons, where it first appears in TSR Games' official newsletter The Strategic Review as an addition to the original 1974 edition's bestiary. Also known simply as a lurker, it is one of the classic examples of the franchise's "gotcha monsters", creatures that are primarily designed with the purpose of tricking and killing adventuring parties - for this reason, both it and the trapper are often ranked among the most obnoxious monsters by players.
In the primary setting, lurkers are a type of aberration found in the Underdark and in dungeons. A lurker resembles a huge manta ray with a grey underside that has a stony texture; unlike the lurkers of NetHack, they possess eyes. Lurkers were capable of flight due to a gas generated in their internal sacs; this gas gives them a natural buoyancy, which they coast upon by flapping their wing-like mass. Lurkers use their flight and underside to camouflage themselves by hiding along the ceilings of caverns and tunnels, then dropping down when prey passes underneath to slam into the victim and constrict them to death.
Encyclopedia entry
These dungeon scavengers are very adept at blending into the surrounding walls and ceilings of the dungeon due to the stone-like coloring of their skin.
